


Live In Living Color

by Indigo_Penstrokes



Series: Modern Newsies [4]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: All of the newsies are theater kids, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Is this a trope?, It is now, M/M, Race is the male lead, Spot is on sound crew, Their schools musical, They're performing Catch Me if You Can
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 09:16:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10941465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indigo_Penstrokes/pseuds/Indigo_Penstrokes
Summary: Racetrack is the star of the high school's musical, Spot is the sound director.





	Live In Living Color

**Author's Note:**

> Hello marvelous reader,  
> The title is taken from a song in Catch Me If You Can of the same name, I'm very original.  
> This is my first fic that's over 2k words, I'm still wondering how I did it.  
> But anyway read and enjoy!

If Race is being totally honest he isn’t sure how he snagged the lead for the school musical, he’s decided he’s going to blame it on Jack.  
Jack Kelly had decided last moment that he wasn't going to try out and would rather do set design and be closer to his not boyfriend who just so happens to be student stage manager.  
It's not like he’s mad or anything, Race loves being in the spotlight don't get him wrong. But when his best friend, who's sometimes a bit more than a friend, is running the sound crew things may get weird. 

It's the last rehearsal before the show and things have gone great, that is until Race's mic let's out a screech high enough to break glass.  
“Spot, what the fuck was that?” Race uncovers his ears as he yells up to the soundbooth. Sure it was the first time rehearsing with the mics, but Spot had run sound for the two years prior and knows what he's doing.  
“That was my fault sorry.” Spot's younger sister Missy's voice comes from the sound booth, it holds the same accent and tendencies for sarcasm. “I'm still trying to figure out how the feedback works.”  
Of course he would be teaching her sound, with all of them being seniors this year he'll needs someone to take the place of sound director next year.  
“Well I think we all got a grand demonstration of how it works. So thanks Missy.” Smalls calls from the lighting rig, hidden behind the spotlight that had been aimed at the backdrop, but is now in Racetrack's face.  
“Ladies if you could quit flirting I would love to continue the scene.” Romeo is playing with his fedora as he shoots them his most blinding stage smile.  
A few death threats are directed at him from the rigging and booth.  
“Opening night is tomorrow, quit fooling around.” Miss Larkin, better know to the drama kids as Medda, chastises the cast and crew.  
“Yes Medda.” Is chorused from all present.  
They run the rest of the show without incident.  
Grabbing his backpack and heading to his beat up car Race spots Spot wearing his usual button down and suspenders, the latter not actually suspending anything as they are hanging down by his knees. Race jogs to catch up.  
“Heya Spot, did ya chew Missy out for that feedback thing earlier?” Race slings an arm around his best friend's shoulders.  
“Hell yeah I did, she was messing around with all of the different switches after I told her not to. I swear she does it just so she'll get yelled at.” Spot wipes a hand over his eyes. “She's starting to annoy me even.”  
“That's not a hard thing to do. You are friends with me after all.” This earns him a punch on the arm from Spot.  
“You may be an asshole, but you're never annoying. Well to me at least.” And Race is sure he's imagining the light blush that dusts Spot's cheeks, but just to make sure,  
“Aw Spotty are you blushin’? I'm touched.” Race holds a hand over his heart only to be shoved away by Spot.  
“Am not, isn't this your car?” They've stopped in front of a beat up green monstrosity that is in fact Racetrack's car.  
“Sadly, but we can't all drive Jeeps like some people.” Race would be lying if he said he likes his car better than Spot's rust red Jeep.  
“See ya tomorrow, but maybe text me earlier than that yeah?” Race unlocks the door of his green shitbox and climbs in, bags and phone tossed onto the passenger seat.  
“Just as long as ya don't text and drive Higgins, I don't wanna loose the best friend I got.” Spot cracks a lopsided smirk as he leans on the driver's side door. Race promptly rolls down the window.  
“That sounded an awful lot like a compliment, you feeling alright?” Race loves the banter they always have between them, mostly because when they're alone it leads somewhere Race never wants to leave.  
“Just dandy, asshole.” His blue eyes dart up before his lips press themselves quickly against Race’s. It’s moments like these that Race lives for, but also it makes him question what they are.  
Spot pulls away after what Race can only count as too soon, taking the happy feeling with him leaving only the million questions swarming around in Race’s head. He gives a mock wave as he climbs into his Jeep a few spaces away. Race didn’t even notice Spot had made it to his car.  
Lips still tingling from the brief kiss Race drives home with exactly one thought on his mind  
‘What are we?’ 

Saturday rolls around which means it’s opening night for their musical, this year it being Catch Me If You Can.  
Coming out from getting his makeup done for the show Race tries to find Spot so he can be mic-ed. Walking around the stage area he sees Smalls and Missy talking to each other.  
“Have any of you seen Spot? I need to get my mic on.” The girls startle apart from where they had been sitting nearly on top of each other.  
“Soundbooth.” Is all he gets from Smalls as she glares at him for interrupting her talk with Missy.  
Race really hopes they keep their relationship a secret for no less than a week or he's going to lose a lot of money to Romeo.  
“Thanks, I'll catch you around.” Race strides off through the auditorium seats to the sound booth the girls grumbling behind him.  
Pushing the door open Race sees Spot fussing over the soundboard controls.  
“If you're done sucking face with your girlfriend you can help calibrate the mics.” Spots says without even looking up.  
“Not Missy, sorry.” At the sound of Race’s voice Spot's head shoots up, cheeks tinged pink.  
“Why are you up here? It's sound crew only.” Spot recovers quickly.  
“Need to be mic-ed for tonight.” Race taps his ear a couple times for emphasis.  
“Then you should know that I'm micing all of the actors at six and it's only five forty five.” Spot stands and crosses his arms. “There is no reason I should get yours done before anyone else's.”  
Race pushes the door closed and steps further into the booth.  
“Is there?” Race stands in front of Spot mimicking his posture despite being a good bit shorter.  
Spot just scowls harder.  
“None. Now go away I have a show to get ready for.” He turns his back on Race as he goes back to the controls. Race tries to ignore the pang of hurt that flares through his heart. What is going on with Spot today?  
“I'll see you in a bit then.” Race slips back out the door trying to disperse the tightness around his chest. He almost runs into a disheveled looking Missy, her hair falling from its hastily created bun.  
“Why don't you have your mic? Spot normally wants those finished as soon as he can.” She leans against the door.  
“You tell me, he isn't in a mood to talk to me.” Race shrugs. He knows Spot and he have ups and downs in their weird friend relationship thing, but normally Race knows why. Today not so much.  
“I'll talk to him 'bout it.” Missy nods to herself as she walks into the booth. “Break a leg tonight.” She adds sticking her head out of the closing door. 

When the actors get their mics Spot is still cold towards Race and the later can't figure out why. With their mics in place the other actors head backstage, not wanting to be around the intimidating sound director longer than necessary.  
“Okay Spot, what gives why won't you even talk to me?” Race puts a hand on Spot’s shoulder before he can turn away.  
“I just need some space to think about some things and with you around it becomes mighty hard to think.” He runs a nervous hand through his hair, which isn't gelled back for once. Race thinks it looks better this way, but he doesn't dare say that aloud.  
“I thought thinking was Davey's thing?” Race quips instead as he leans against the soundbooth door frame.  
“Race, just go get ready to go on.” Spot sighs and rubs his eyes. “Before I do anything stupid.” Is mumbled as an afterthought as the door closes behind Race.  
Spot Conlon doesn't get crushes. He just has a best friend that he sometimes makes out with, no big deal. He just didn't catch feelings. So why is this short, curly haired, loudmouth all the sudden making him question the thing they've had between them for years?  
“Pull it together Conlon, you have to be on top of your game for the show. If you screw up it all goes to hell.” Spot slips the headset around his neck as he buries his hands in his noticeably ungelled hair, he knew he was forgetting to do something before he left the house.  
It's going to be a long night.  
Missy comes back to the booth ten minutes before curtains raise looking more than a little disheveled.  
“Please tell me you and Samantha weren't sucking face up in the lighting rig.” Spot just hands her her headset.  
“It's none of your business if we were or weren't.” Which means they were, the two had almost been caught by the others in their group multiple times and they still insist on keeping their relationship a secret. Spot is almost one hundred percent sure it's Missy who doesn't want to tell the gang and Smalls is being as supportive as she can. Since Race spent more time at Spot's than even Smalls did he knew the two girls were dating.  
“Fine, I don't care. Let's just get this show on the road.” He slips the headset onto his head just as Davey's giving the first cue for curtains up. 

The show goes off without a hitch. The lights were all completely on time. The pit and actors worked amazingly in sync. And the mics never let out a peep of feedback. 

Race and the rest of the actors are letting out whoops of joy as they celebrate behind the closed curtain. The crew joins them not long after. They made it! Opening night couldn't have been better.  
“Cast and Crew, I want to congratulate you all on an absolutely wonderful first performance.” Medda gives them all a round of applause. The group bursts into more cheers and shouts at the praise.  
Standing across from Race in the wings is Spot, he'd gone unnoticed so far in the midst of all the commotion. But Race looks over and sees him, a megawatt smile stretching across his already smiling face. Just as he beckons Spot over a girl, who Spot thinks is named Paige and is also the female lead, runs over to Race and hugs him tightly. Race’s smiles dims a bit, but he hugs her back quickly and releases her even faster. Spot doesn't know why but something inside of him glows at the fact Race wants to see him more than some costar.  
Spot decides to take a risk and strides over to a beaming Racetrack, keeping a solid poker face the whole time. Stopping only when they're mere inches apart. There's confusion in Race’s big brown eyes as he stares up at Spot, unsure of what the blue eyed boy is going to do.  
Then shocking everyone on the stage Spot crashes their lips together earning himself a surprised squeak from Race. Race kisses back with just as much force as Spot, tangling his hands in the others hair. Spot grips Racetrack's hips, pulling them flush together deepening the kiss.  
Wolf whistles and cat calls sound around them. Spot simply holds up a hand that Race assumes is flipping the bird, since it is Spot after all.  
Pulling away Spot gives Race one of his rare smiles.  
“You did great out there tonight.” Spot blushes, he's never been good at giving compliments. Insults, no problem, compliments, he's totally lost.  
“You're cute when you blush.” Race kisses him again, slow and sweet.  
“Alright lovebirds, are we going to head to the after party or not?” Crutchie has hopped up onto the stage from the orchestra pit, silver trumpet shining under the stage lights.  
It's Race’s turn to blush as he pulls away from Spot smiling sheepishly.  
“Sure, let's go I'm starving.” Spot supplies appearing not the least bit flustered that he just came out to the entirety of his friends when in reality his heart feels like it'll beat out of his chest. The crowd of hungry and elated drama kids whoop and holler as they exit the stage. Hanging back a bit Race grabs Spot's hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze. They lock gazes and Spot smiles again.  
The moment is broken when Romeo comes bounding up with Specs in tow.  
“I'm so glad you guys are like an official thing, but you couldn't have waited until closing night?” Romeo pouts at Race as he rests his elbow on his brother's shoulder.  
“Why am I not surprised you and your boyfriend bet on it?” Race smirks at his younger brother. “How much did ya lose?”  
“Like I'm gonna tell you.” Romeo blows a raspberry like the mature seventeen year old he is.  
“No money, he just has to do my math homework if I ask him to, what is it three times?” Romeo shoves Specs dangerously close to the edge of the orchestra pit.  
The two couples bicker between each other the entire ride to the after party at Medda’s. They ride in Spot's Jeep because, Romeo “doesn't want ride in that green monstrosity more than he has to” and Race just loves watching Spot be proud of his car. And if he holds Race’s hand across the console it's just an added bonus.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, comments, and constructive criticisms are always more than welcome and make my day as an author.


End file.
